The Wasteland's Marine
by northern484
Summary: Chad Weston: Known as The Lone Wanderer, Known even more as The Wasteland's Marine. Here is his story, a young man that had everything be redefined for him, trying to save the wasteland.
1. Built To Expire

'Another boring day' Thought Chad Weston as he walked to the Security Station of Vault 101. The dark hallways were starting to light up as some of the lighting was turning on, kind of like a simulated dawn. Chad didn't it stimulating like the rest of the vault, he could never figure out why, he was a normal vault resident, to a degree. He walked into the Diner to grab a quick breakfast before his shift. Officer Gomez was there, his former mentor on the security force.

"Morning Chad," Gomez said, sipping on a nuka cola, "Ready for today's shift?" Chad sat down on the bar stool next to him.

"Yeah, just wish it got exciting sometimes," Chad replied, grabbing a can of Pork and Beans from over the counter. He took out his Knife, an old Ka-Bar, its 7 inch blade cutting through the top. "Maybe a brawl or something like that." Gomez chuckled.

"You'll learn to appreciate the quiet moments, even if nothing does happen here." He said, elbowing Chad in the shoulder. "You've been watch too much old marine war movies again, haven't you?" He couldn't deny that.

When he was 13, Chad found a book in the library about the United States Marine Corp, ever since, he ate up any information about the USMC: Battles, tactics, weapons, everything. He trained everyday just like the Marines, even if he'd never use the skills in his life. The Ka-Bar he opened the Pork and Beans was a Marine issued knife that his father, James, gave him when he was 16, after the G.O.A.T. Dad said that one of his ancestors carried it on the beaches of Iwo Jima, adding to the sentimental value.

"So what if I have?" Chad responded, finishing the Pork and Beans, "Not like I got much to do in my spare time."

"True, but you can't always watch war films; spend some time with Amata or something." Gomez said with a smile. He stood from his stool, "I'll see you at shift change, and promise me you'll spend your time somehow else, alright Jarhead?"

"I'll try, Gomez." Chad replied. Gomez walked out the Diner, leaving Chad to himself. He couldn't help but think about Amata. She was his best friend; they've been friends since they were only toddlers, Back when almost every day they'd play, or hang out, but now, with Chad's duties and Amata learning to take over the role of Overseer after her father, not really able to see each other was… Oddly depressing, something he wasn't very easily made to feel.

Chad shook it off and left the Diner to continue to the Security Station. He climbed the stairs leading to the first level of the lower level; it had the classroom that Mr. Brotch taught in along with Dad's clinic, the place that Dad stayed for the past few months. Never stopped working on whatever the hell he was working on now. Chad could see him working furiously through the glass typing something into his terminal, notes scattered all over his desk.

Chad could also see how everyone said he looked like him; Square face, 6'4", though Chad had more of his dead mother's features as dad told him; dirty blond hair that he kept chopped like Marines, clean shaven, brown eyes and a considerable larger build from the workouts he did over the years. He then entered the Atrium, the large gathering room for the residents of the vault. Up another flight of stairs and a short walk, Chad arrived at the Security Station.

_Great, _Chad thought. One of the officers on duty with him was Stevie Mack, the "Probie" of the security force, as it was only his third month as an officer. The 17 year old looked at Chad with a scowl on his face.

"Well, if it isn't the _jarhead._" Mack mocked. "You make yourself look ridiculous, looking like a soldier." Chad wasn't a fan of the standard Vault Security Armor they wore, so with Chief Hannon approval, he made himself a set of fatigues, digital woodland camo pants along with an OD green T-shirt with a modified vest off one of the vault armor suits.

"So? Why do you care?" Chad retorted, "It's not like you're wearing it." Mack let an out a growl of anger, but turned back around to the terminal. Chad walked to his locker and took out his key and unlocked the padlock, it opening with a satisfying click. Inside was his standard equipment; Pistol belt with a handcuff holder and holster, riot helmet with a face shield, and his pistol, A 9mm Sig Sauer P226. Chad ejected the magazine and racked the slide a few times to ensure the weapon wasn't loaded.

"Hey Armstrong, anything scheduled for today?" Chad asked the shift's senior officer.

"Nothing, just sitting around with our thumbs up our asses and the patrols till someone becomes a threat, usual deal." He responded, reading a book. Chad sighed.

"Great, another boring day." He said, as he started to strip his P226. "Another boring day."

**A/N: I live! It's been over a year since I wrote anything for FF. The truth to why, is I just got lazy. But now I'm back and with a new story. If you're wandering about my story The Gunslingers, I'm still debating about what will be next for it, whether or not I'll continue it or side it over till I get to a point with this one. That's it for now, stay tuned for more!**


	2. Betrayal Is a Symptom

Time went slow on Chad's shift, as it usually did. Nothing but sitting, patrolling, more sitting, more patrols. Finally, shift change came around as Officer Gomez came into the station with Officers Wolfe and O'Brian behind him.

"Evening," Gomez said, setting some papers on the desk. "Time for you guys to head home and get some rest." Chad got up and put his pistol belt in his locker, locking it up for the week.

"Night, Gomez." Chad said, heading out the door, "See you later."

"Remember what I told you earlier!" Gomez yelled down the hallway to Chad. He only raised his arm and gave a wave in response. Chad was hungry, but he was too tired to care less. He made the trip back to the small apartment he shared with his dad, walking into the sitting room of the apartment.

"Dad?" Chad called, waiting a moment for a response. Nothing. He sighed, rubbing his eyes. He walked into his room of the apartment, a small room with enough space to fit a bed, desk and dresser. He walked over to his bed, sitting down on it. He took off his boots, tossing them into the chair across from the bed. He laid down on the bed, stretching out on it.

_Amata. _Chad thought. Since that morning, he had been thinking about her. She was beautiful; flowing dark hair, gentle smile, sharp mind. He wouldn't dare tell anyone, but he secretly loved her. He didn't know when or how it sparked, but it was something… Something that made everything click, or at least for him. He drifted off to sleep thinking about her.

"Wake up!" Someone yelled, shaking him. Chad rolled over in his bed.

"Five more minutes, Dad." He groaned. The shaking grew more frantic.

"Wake up! This isn't the time for this!" The voice said. Chad recognized the voice, waking up at an instant.

"Amata!" he said, sitting up on the bed. "I was just thinking about you…" He let slip through his lips. He might have been awake, but obviously his mind wasn't.

"This isn't the time to be a smartass! Your Dad left the vault!" Amata responded. Now Chad was wide awake.

"Wait, what?" he said, shocked. "But no one can leave! How did he manage to get out?"

"I don't know, but you have to leave, or they'll kill you too." Amata told him, on the verge of tears.

"Who'd they kill?" Chad asked her, dreading the worst.

"Jonas. My father's men tortured him about where James went, and they killed him." She replied, her eyes watering. "Now they're coming for you, and I'm scared as to what they're going to do to you." Chad had several things going through his head, but he knew he had to get out, now.

"I need to get out, but the main hallway will be guarded. I might have to fight my way out…" Chad said, thinking of his options.

"No, please don't kill anyone, enough have died already!" Amata said, "There an escape tunnel in my father's office, you'll need to pick the lock on the door." She handed him a few bobby pins and a screwdriver. Chad looked at the items with a look of uncertainly. Amata walked over to the desk and picked something up off it. "I took this from the Security Station, you might need it." She handed to him. It was his P226, along with his belt and three magazines loaded with 9mm hollow points.

"Amata, you shouldn't be putting yourself at risk for me." Chad told her, adjusting his belt and sliding the P226 into its holster. "You could end up like Jonas."

"Don't worry about me, Chad. I'll be fine. I'll try to meet you at the door, but don't wait for me. Good luck." And with that, Amata left his room. Chad slipped on his Kevlar vest on and his boots. He opened the chest he had at the foot of his bed. Inside was a backpack he prepared over the years; Medical supplies, food, a few extra fatigues he made along with a few odds and ends. This was Exodus: he had to leave, or face hell.

He grabbed a bat he had resting on the wall and slid it into the dark pack on his back. Chad then grabbed his Ka-Bar and attached the sheath on his pistol belt, and then he left the apartment. Outside the door, he already saw one of the officers searching for him already; it was Kendall, one of the officers that followed orders just because he had to.

"Chad, stop!" Kendall yelled, drawing his police baton. But before he could charge, two Radroaches came out of nowhere and attacked Kendall. He dispatched the roaches and turned back to Chad, but he was already charging at Kendall. The former officer slammed into Kendall, making him drop the baton. Both of them were on the ground, Chad had slammed his knee on Kendall's stomach, then threw a punch into the officer's face, knocking him out. Chad searched the knocked out officer, taking his keys and baton. He left Kendall to continue on his escape, but he was interrupted again by his childhood bully, Butch DeLoria.

"You got to help me!" Butch said in a panic. "My mom, she's being attacked by those bugs!" Chad pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Butch, I've got my own problems." He told the Tunnel Snake, "Take this and go help her" He threw the baton he took from Kendall at Butch.

"No way am I going in there." He said. Chad gave him a dark look.

"Why? Aren't you a Tunnel Snake, One of the toughest gangs ever?" He told Butch. "Afraid of a few little bugs?"

"Yea, you're right, Tunnel Snakes rule!" Butch yelled out, charging for the apartment. Chad quickly left the lower living area, hand close to his pistol's grip. He came up to the Diner, all the lights were turned off inside. As he walked into the room and flicked the switch for the light on the Pip-boy, a corpse was lying face down, an elderly woman. Chad didn't flip the body over to see who the Identity was, in case someone came in and make their own assumption. He walked a little farther, hearing a roar. Andy, the vault's Mister Handy, was burning a group of radroaches with his flamethrower.

Chad was distracted by Andy's burning fest when he heard a click, he drew the P226 from his side and aimed where the noise came from; There standing there was Officer Gomez, his 10mm pistol aimed at him. Chad kept his pistol aimed at Gomez, waiting.

"What are you doing?" Gomez asked, dropping his aim and holstering his pistol. "I'm not going to turn you in." Chad dropped his aim, but kept the pistol in his hand.

"So why is all the guards coming at me?" Chad asked his old mentor. Gomez let out a sigh.

"Since your dad opened the door, radroaches came right in the vault. It seems that since The Overseer can't punish your dad, you're the alternative." Gomez told him. Chad's optimism was severely wounded, making a clean escape almost a miracle. "Go, I never saw you. Find your father." Gomez said to Chad. He nodded and walked to the stair that led to the atrium. He then turned back and spoke:

"Can you watch Amata for me? I have a feeling I'm never coming back." Chad said, full of remorse. The officer only nodded, and the younger man walked up the stairs.


End file.
